The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Fed-up residents demand ‘gull cull’
BATTLE: People bombarded daily by ‘rats with wings’
Fed-up Angus residents have demanded a gull cull in the latest stage of their 15-year fight against the “rats with wings”.
Hundreds of birds are now taking to rooftops of residential properties after being displaced by the demolition of old sheds flattened to make way for a new spine road in the £100 million Montrose south regeneration scheme.
Householders coming under daily bombardment from above fear the problems will intensify when the breeding season reaches its peak as adult birds become more aggressive in defence of their chicks.
Some folk are considering forking out hundreds of pounds to have spikes installed on their rooftops.
“The problem is just getting worse and all we get told is that they are protected. People have no idea how bad it is living with this every day,” said resident Rose Sherriff.
Montrose residents have claimed their 15-year gull hell has intensified after the marauding birds were moved out of their home to make way for a new town road.
Sheds where the so-called “rats with wings” used to nest were cleared as part of the spine road project associated with the multi-million-pound Montrose South regeneration programme.
However, fed up River Street householders say the noise and mess created by hundreds of gulls is making their life a misery.
Dropping-splattered vehicles are a daily occurrence and locals fear aggressive gulls will become even more of a problem as the breeding season gets into full swing.
River Street resident Rose Sherriff said: “We’ve complained and complained to the council for years about the gulls but haven’t got anywhere and now it is just unbelievable.
“After suffering nine months of upheaval while the road was being built, we’ve now got all these gulls still in the area but with the sheds gone and people
“One of my neighbours has a brand new car and every day it is absolutely covered in seagull droppings. ROSE SHERRIFF
have no idea how bad it is living with them – they are rats with wings.”
“One night I counted 120 gulls just in the area where the shed was that they used to nest.
“They are noisy and for some reason seem to be flying around a lot more. One of my neighbours has a brand new car and every day it is absolutely covered in seagull droppings.”
Mrs Sherriff said fed-up locals are now considering installing spikes on their properties to deter the birds.
“We’ve been told it’ll be around £260 for each chimney, but some folk I know are looking at having to pay thousands of pounds.”
An Angus Council spokesperson said: “Seagulls are protected under the Countryside and Wildlife Act.
“However, the council has a ‘general licence’ to control these birds by nonlethal means. The law does allow for lethal means of control in relation to seagulls, but only in very extreme circumstances, such as where there is a risk to human health.
“We offer a free egg removal service to all domestic residents and we ask anyone who sees nest-building activity on their property to contact us as soon as possible to make arrangements for the eggs and nest to be removed.
“Unfortunately once eggs hatch the gulls start swooping in order to protect their chicks – at this point no action can be taken. We do not have powers to force owners of properties to take action against gulls.”